EU ministers to decide 2026 Baltic Sea catch limits as Commission warns of collapsing fish stocks and worsening marine ecosystem
EU fisheries ministers will meet on 27–28 October for the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) in Luxembourg, where they are expected to reach a political agreement on fishing opportunities for 2026 in the Baltic Sea.
The debate follows a European Commission proposal that warns several fish stocks in the region are now in critical condition.
The Commission’s proposal, published in August, sets out total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for ten Baltic stocks, based on advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). It recommends sharp reductions for several key species, maintaining restrictions on cod and herring, and small increases only where stock recovery has been demonstrated.
Under the proposal, catches of Bothnian herring would fall by 62%, western Baltic herring by 50%, and eastern Baltic cod by 63%, while unavoidable by-catches of western Baltic cod would be cut by 84%. Modest reductions are also proposed for plaice (-3%) and main basin salmon (-27%), while the Commission suggests maintaining quotas for sprat and central Baltic herring and slightly increasing the Gulf of Finland salmon TAC by 1%.
The measures are designed to align with the EU’s multiannual management plan for Baltic stocks adopted in 2016, as well as the Union’s commitment to achieve sustainable fishing levels under the Common Fisheries Policy.
Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, said: “I am worried about the poor state of the Baltic Sea fish stocks and the impact that this has on local fishers. Too many fish stocks are close to collapsing and the ecosystem is worsening. We need to fully implement EU legislation and take measures at all levels and in all policy areas or this situation will continue over the coming years. We must rebuild fish stocks and reinforce the ecosystem in the Baltic. This must be a joint effort.”
The Commission has identified western and eastern Baltic cod, western, Bothnian and central herring, sprat, and several salmon populations as being under severe environmental pressure due to overfishing, nutrient loading, and high levels of contaminants. These stressors, combined with failures to implement EU environmental law, have resulted in what officials describe as the most polluted marine basin in Europe.
New measures are also planned to protect spawning areas. For Bothnian and central Baltic herring, the Commission has proposed a three-month coastal spawning closure to support stock recovery. For salmon, restrictions will include delayed fishing seasons in some zones and a ban on recreational fishing for reared salmon to avoid accidental mortality of wild populations.
Despite the grim outlook, some species show limited signs of improvement. Central Baltic herring stocks have been above the minimum reference level for two years, with ICES forecasting strong recruitment, though the Commission cautioned that these projections are uncertain.
EU Member States are expected to decide the final TACs and quotas at next week’s meeting, balancing conservation needs with the severe socio-economic pressures facing Baltic coastal communities.
Fisheries ministers will also exchange views on preparations for the annual meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), where wider Atlantic management issues are on the agenda.
